About us | Nowadays

Breeding

Each year the Meilland research team (from left to right : Alain Meilland, Michèle Richardier and Jacques Mouchotte) initiates breeding programs yielding between 5 and 8,000 hybrids or crosses, representing 100,000 to 120,000 flowers artificially fertilized between April and the end of July.

Alain Meilland | Michèle Richardier | Jacques Mouchotte

Selection

Once the hips are collected and their seeds sorted and sown, approximately 250,000 youngs plants from all product lines are subjected to a strict and careful selection process, lasting from 8 to 10 years for garden roses, and 4 to 6 years for rose bushes to be used in the production of fresh cut flowers.

The selected varieties will then be tested in 15 private research stations distributed across all latitudes. In the end, only a dozen varieties will be marketed.

The different steps in the creation of a rose variety

Protection

Meilland varieties are protected by plant patents, breeder's rights certificates, and, since April 1995 in Europe, by European Community certificates granting 25 years of protection to breeder.

As of today, Meilland holds more than 1,000 patents worldwide, 50% of which are less than 3 years old, and owns 600 trademarks.

Distribution

Distribution occurs in the following manner :

70% through distribution of licences
30% by rose plants sales

Exports, through a network of 63 countries, represent 80% of sales.

In several countries Meilland's presence is fully integrated, from rose plant production to the marketing of fresh flowers (in France, Holland, Spain, Morocco and Mexico).

Meilland is also

The French companies :

more than 200 people
18 million euros in revenue
a mail order company which sells rosebushes, plants, bulbs, seeds, and fresh cut flowers by catalog

The European companies :

almost 600 people, including 30 agronomists and employees with horticultural degrees
14 hectares (35 acres) of greenhouses
240 hectares (500 acres) of testing ground
20,000 m³ (29,900 cubic yards) of cold storage facilities.

Nursery production covering 600 hectares (1500 acres) in France, Spain, Morocco, the Nederlands, and the U.S.A. (California).

12 million rosebushes sold per year.

Meilland remains a 100% family-owned business. The sixth generation is already on the job.